Sub/Version was founded in 1997 or so by Pure and myself as a reaction to the development of dark UK post-jungle-drum'n'bass that was emerging at the time. As 4-4 hardcore was growing stale and "breakcore" was still in its infancy, darkstep, techstep or whatever-step was opening new pathways of serious d-a-r-k dance music. The first release "Dark Star", a one sided 12" set the pace for the label: a heavy, harsh and dark comment and intensification on/of the new "stepping" sound. The follow-up "Anti-Christ" provoked an even more serious constellation of beats and noises. Number 3 didn't manage to top the propositions of the first two releases, but it didn't really attempt to: It was two remixes of "Dark Star", one by Panacea, one by Fennesz. A rare release, limited to 500 copies!
At this point already a certain crisis set in (crisis at least in this context not meaning something necessarily negative), for a number of reasons. darkstep - or whatever you'd like to call it - became a genre itself, reproducing its own aesthetic endlessly - something we had flirted with, but only to subvert it. Also the occasions to record together became rare, so we decided the Sub/Version 004 to be a split EP - Pure delivering the classic breakcore epic "Fight 'Em", myself, on the other side, with "Fuel For The Fire" aspiring to a minimalist approach but edited with cold blooded intention to reflect and pervert the then still new techstep sound.
As the initial makeup of the label - collaborations between Pure and myself - was impossible due to the geographic distance, I was looking for new ways to formulate the initial intention of the label. the first incarnation of which became the Sub/Version 005 by Crisis Theory (Rachael Kozak & Christoph Fringeli). The epic psychedelic tracks "Luxuria" and "Avaritia" became some of the baddest trips in the history of d'n'b - Pure called it the "best Sub/Version yet" while others denounced it as "too futuristic" and not close enough to the dancefloor.

Sub/Version 006, after 3 years the first installment after a long break, was by UK producer Kovert who has stunned listeners with his release on Praxis (number 34) as well as Damage (12003 - Versioning) after drawing attention with his contribution to the Praxis USA compilation.
Titled Jaffna pt. 1 & 2 - is the first in a row of releases. Razor sharp edits and practical dancefloor sub-version at its most concrete!
Sub/Version 007 brought haunting strings and monster basslines underlining the driving breaks and metallic rhythms found on the most dancefloor friendly record from Hecate in a while. She presents a track of deep subtleties and masterful programming on “Technical Witch”, with Etaceh on the flip side going full out into territory bordering on breakcore, but never forgetting mixability for the progressive dancefloor.

With some of the newer drum'n'bass getting harder, darker and more experimental, incorporating elements of hardcore and breakcore, it's time for Sub/Version to multiply its activities.
After two massive releases by Vile Enginez and DJ Scud in November 2005, the summer 2006 sees releases by DJ Hidden and Amboss with more lined up for the second half of the year!

Contact: praxis@c8.com